hearts. In the midst of seeming happiness and prosperity they were inwardly miserable and distressed. Happy are they who have found the only cure for a bad conscience! Nothing will ever Heal it but the blood of Christ.
Let us mark, secondly, the importance to Christiam of occamnal privacy and retirement. We are told, that when the apostles returned from their first ministerial work, our Lord f'took them and went aside privately into a desert place." We cannot doubt that this was , done with a deep meaning. It was meant to teach the great lesson that those who do public work for the souls of others, must be careful to make time for being alone with God.
The lesson is one which many Christians would do well to remember. Occasional retirement, self-inquiry, meditation, and secret communion with God, are absolutely essential to spiritual health. The man who neglects them is in great danger of a fall. To be always preaching, teaching, speaking, writing, and working public works, is, unquestionably, a sign of zeal. But it is not always a sign of zeal according to knowledge. It often leads to un- toward consequences. We must make time occasionally for sitting down and calmly looking within, and examining how matters stand between our own selves and Christ. The omission of the practice is the true account of many a backsliding which shocks the Church, and gives occasion to the world to blaspheme. Many could say with sorrow, in the words of Canticles, "They made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard have I not kept." (Cant. i. 6.)
Let us mark, lastly, in this passage, cmr Lord Jesus
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Chrisfa readiness to receive ail who came to Him. We are told, that when the multitude followed Him into the desert, whither He had retired, "he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing." Unmannerly and uninvited as this intrusion on His privacy seems to have been, it met with no rebuff from our Lord. He was always more ready to give instruction than people were to ask it, and more willing to teach than people were to be taught.
But the incident, trifling as it may seem, exactly tallies with all that we read in the Gospels of the gentleness and condescension of Christ. We never see Him dealing with people according to their deserts. We never find Him scrutinizing the motives of His hearers, or refusing to allow them to learn of Him, because their hearts were not right in the sight of God. His ear was always ready to hear, and His hand to work, and His tongue to preach. None that came to Him were ever cast out. Whatever they might think of His doctrine, they could never say that Jesus of Nazareth was "an austere man."
Let us remember this in all our dealings with Christ about our own souls. We may draw near to Him with boldness, and open our hearts to Him with confidence. He is a Saviour of infinite compassion and lovingkind- ness. He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. The secrets of our spiritual life may be such as we would not have our dearest friends know. The wounds of our consciences may be deep and sore, and require most delicate handling. But we need not fear anything, if we commit all to Jesus, the Son of God.
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"We shall find that His kindness is unbounded. His own words shall be found abundantly true : "I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls." (Matt. ii. 29.)
Let us remember this, finaUy, in our dealing with other people, if we are called upon to give them help about their souls. Let us strive to walk in the steps of Christ's example, and, like Him, to be kind, and patient, and always willing to aid. The ignorance of young beginners in reUgion is sometimes very provoking. We are apt to be wearied of their instability, and fickleness, and halting between two opinions. But let us remember Jesus, andnotbe weary. He "received all," spake to all, and did good to aU. Let us go and do likewise. As Christ deals with us, so let us deal one with another.
Notes. Luke IX. 7—11.
7. — [He was perplexed.'] The Greek word so translated, is rendered, in Luke xxiv. 4., "much 'perplexed." In the only three other places where it is used in the New Testament, it is translated, " doubted," or, " was in doubt." (Acts ii. 12 ; v. 24 ; x. 17.)
[Risen from the dead.] Let it be noted, that a resurrection from the dead is spoken of here, and in the following verses, as a thing which was commonly believed and acknowledged as true among the Jews. The notion, that the Jews, before Christ, knew nothing of a resurrection or another life, is utterly unten- able.
9. — [/ beheaded,,,! hear.] Let it be noted, that the Greek word for " I," is twice repeated in this verse. • Alford thinks that the repetition " implies personal concern and alarm at the growing fame of Jesus."
10. — [He took them and went aside privately.] Let the words of Cecil, on this subject, be carefully weighed. " If a man would seriously set himself to work, he must retire from the crowd. He must not live in a bustle. If he is always driving through the business of the day, he will be so in harness, as not to observe the road he is going."
Again, he says ; ** I know not how it is that some Christians
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